Expect the Unexpected
by Insarai Arys
Summary: The boys of Dtent are about to meet a new mystery. And how does he fit in with the Warden, Zero, Kissin' Kate and the loot buried in the lake? He's the only one who can aswer the questions. Though whether he wants to is another matter entirely...........
1. Questions, Answers and Reactions

Disclaimer: I do not own Holes or the movie. Sadly that honour is for the wonderful Sacher and Disney. Please reading the warning below and take note of it.

**This is a slash story and it will have references to ZeroOMC and possible ZigzagSquid. I am giving you this warning now because I refuse to be flamed. If you do not like slash then not read this story, it's as simple as that.**

**If you do not like original character then you may not like this story. If you do not like OOCness then I suggest you do not read this story.**

**The characters are based on the movie ones with small changes.**

I have given you fair warning.

**IMPORTANT:**

This story takes place after Stanley offers to teach Zero to read. It starts during his first reading lesson. It will follow the basic plot line for some time and then I might have a play with it. The end result will be along the same lines as Sacher's but with some twists.

And off we go...

* * *

Stanley Yelnats was in pain. His hands stung, his back ached and his neck burned. Moreover, he was happy.

"R-E-A-D" he spelled out on the paper for Zero, who sat next to him.

Laboriously, Zero spelled it out and copied it down on the paper beneath Stanley's letters. "Read" he said triumphantly.

Stanley nodded and clapped him on the back. Zero grinned up at him though the mess of dark curls on his head, eyes grinning against the olive skin. Stanley grinned back running his hand through his own messy brown hair. Blue eyes and white skin made him the total opposite to Zero but they were friends anyway.

Dinner was announced over the speakers and the two boys made their way over to the Mess Hall. Collecting their trays, the two joined the end of the line for the food. Once receiving the slop that passed for food, they sat down at the D-Tent table. X-Ray, Zigzag, Armpit, Squid and Magnet were already sitting there, laughing, joking and pushing each other.

At least every-one but X-Ray was. Stanley and Zero slotted themselves on the end of the benches, one on each side and dug into their dinner's.

"Yo, wassup X?" Armpit said, when he saw that X-Ray wasn't eating.

X-Ray shrugged the said "He's coming back..."

"Who?" Stanley asked.

"Blood-Scar Violence" X-Ray said quietly. All the boys froze except Stanley.

Zero froze in his seat, all the colour draining from his face. He said "you sure?" to X-Ray. When X-Ray nodded, Zero's face slowly split into a grin. Stanley suddenly felt a shiver go his spine.

"Who is Blood-Scar Violence?" he asked Magnet.

But it was Zigzag who answered him, "He's only the youngest ever Mafia man ever. He's the son of the king of the American Mafia, and he's ,like, the best of them already. He's not someone you can mess with and get away with."

X-Ray cut in "You know, we told you Barf-Bag stepped on a rattle snake? It wasn't an accident. Blood-Scar Violence told Barf bag that he would be fighting him after dinner. Barf-Bag knew he would lose against him so he stepped on the rattler-"

"Why wouldn't he win?" Stanley cut in.

"Because" Armpit told him "He's like a friggin' fightin' expert. Ju-jitsu, karate and kick-boxing. He can turn anything into a weapon, a chair or a ball, even the air we breathe he can turn against you."

Magnet cut in "Even the Warden is scared of him. And Mr Sir and Mom are like, freaked out by him."

Zero stood abruptly. He stormed out of the Mess Hall, everybody watching him as he made his way out of the building.

"What's got into him?" Stanley commented.

"Blood-Scar and him are real close," X-Ray said.

"What like brothers?" Stanley said.

"Real close" X-Ray said. Stanley didn't get it until he saw what Zigzag was doing; making the okay sign with one hand and moving one finger in and out of it; the universal sign for sex. Stanley felt his mouth drop open. Zero was a what?

"They never told us but everyone knows," X-Ray continued, enjoying being the centre of attention, "He gives Zero his bread and always says stuff like "You be skinny" and comments on his height. You know, stuff only people real close get to talk about.

And like one time, when Zero had nightmares about something we don't know about, Zero ends up sleeping in Blood-Scar's bed and they have they legs all tangled up and his arms are around Zero all possessive-like. That gave mom a real shock." The other boys started laughing as they remembered.

"What's his real name? And has he been here before?" Stanley demanded. He wanted to know more about this mysterious person.

"His real name is Blood-Scar Violence and he's been here twice; once when only me and Magnet were here for about two months and once about three months before you came. Zero came at the same time as he came three months before you came. And no-one knows why they is here, 'cause they don't tell us."

Stanley finished his dinner in silence as he mused. How was this new prisoner going to fit in here? And, this was the first time he had heard of someone who came back not once but twice.

Making his way back to the tent, he saw Mr. Sir carrying something that clanked and clinked as he moved. As Mr Sir got closer, he could see the things more clearly; they were chains. Long ones and they had cuffs for legs and wrists. Stanley shivered again. Whoever Blood-Scar Violence was, he was not a normal juvenile delinquent.

When he finally reached his tent, X-Ray, Squid, Magnet, Zigzag and Armpit had arrived before him. He sat down on his bed and asked "So how do we act with him?"

"Blood-Scar?" Zigzag said, "You act real nice, but you don't suck to him because he don't like that. You be honest with him though and you never, ever try to pull something on him. And you are real nice to Zero. Zero's his-"

"Whole life" Magnet interrupted. "that's what Barf-Bag did, and look where he ended up." He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself.

Zigzag continued "You is nice to Zero then he'll be nice to you, but if you is mean like try to beat him up then you is dead meat."

"you know why you never see Zero without a shirt on?" X-Ray cut in "Because he's got some serious ink. Like, proper stuff that cost real cash. And I've seen them once, and I gotta tell you they is wicked cruel."

"So he won't hurt me will he?" Stanley asked

"You is teaching him to read ain't cha?" Armpit demanded from his cot, "you is being real nice to Zero, therefore he will be good to you."

Zero came through the tent flaps, his hair even more messed up than usual. He grinned as he saw them all looking guilty as he stretched out on his cot. Zigzag winked at Stanley as X-Ray asked "Lookin' forward to meeting Blood-Scar again Zero?"

Zero flipped over so he was facing the other boys, "Are you?" He asked, his face in a smirk. He laughed softly at the faces of the others before kicking off his boots and pulling his sheets over himself.

Stanley and the other's copied Zero and soon the tent was silent as the boys fell asleep.

Stanley couldn't sleep. He wondered just how Blood-Scar would react when Stanley told him that he was teaching Zero how to read.

He rolled over, wincing as the bed springs squeaked. Tomorrow promised to be an eventful day he thought as he drifted off to sleep...


	2. Meeting the Mystery

At last, it is done; Chapter two of Expect the Unexpected. Before the disclaimers I have someone to say thank you to;

**lexicuti4eva:** for being my one and only reviewer, I dedicate this chapter to you. And thank you very much for reviewing, I really appreciated that.

**A message for anyone who reads this story; would anyone out there become a beta for me? I'm more interested in someone who can give me character development and plot line help if possible. Anyway it's just a thought.**

Now for the disclaimers:

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Holes or the movie. Sadly that honour is for the wonderful Sacher and Disney. Please reading the warning below and take note of it.

This is a **slash story** and it will have references to **ZeroOMC** and possible **ZigzagSquid**. I am giving you this warning now because I refuse to be flamed. If you do not like **slash** then not read this story, it's as simple as that.

If you do not like **original characters** then you may not like this story. If you do not like **OOCness** then I suggest you do not read this story.

The characters are based on the movie ones with **small** changes.

And off we go again...

* * *

Stanley awoke to the sounds of the camp waking up; the creaking of bed springs, the groans of the boys waking up, and the crunch of the gravel outside.

As he pulled on his bright orange jumpsuit and boots before joining the queue at the water spigot to wet his toothbrush, Stanley wondered what Blood-Scar would make of him. After all, the other boys of D-Tent had been less than impressed with him.

Zero and Magnet came behind him in the queue. "Hey" Magnet greeted him between yawns. Zero said nothing, just turned up the corners of his mouth in what passed as a smile for him.

Later, after an unsatisfying breakfast of honey tortillas and water, Stanley contemplated Zero in his mind. He never said 'Good morning' or 'Good night' and he never wished you luck or anything like that. Stanley shook his head; they were just two more mysteries shrouding the mysterious boy.

He dug his shovel in and sighed when it met with yet another rock. Lifting it out he glanced over at Zero's hole, intending to ask how he was doing. What he saw made him stare along with the other boys of D-Tent.

Zero was kneeling in his half-dug hole, hands held before like he was praying. As the sun rose over the mountains, Stanley could see Zero's lips move, though he was too far away to hear them.

The second the sun had risen fully, Zero began to dig furiously. His shovel moved so fast and his dirt pile grew so big it was like watching it on fast forward. The other boys of D-tent watched in amazement as Zero dug himself deeper and deeper into the hole, until he almost disappeared from view.

Two hours later, the sun was beating down on Stanley's hole as Zero dug while Stanley rested. For once there wasn't that much to dig, only half a foot or so for Zero to dig. Not bad, Stanley thought as he rested, for a boy who had needed nearly nine hours to dig the same amount of dirt six weeks ago.

Stanley and Zero made their back to camp laughing and spelling words together. As they made their around the holes and dirt piles, they saw a dirt cloud coming toward them on the dirt road. As the dirt cloud came closer, the two realised it was the bus which bought new campers to the camp. Stanley and Zero watched it go past in silence. Somehow, as that bus had entered camp green lake, something had left it forever.

Twenty minutes later, the two were back in D-tent and relaxing in companionable silence.

The announcement for dinner came and the two joined the mass of boys streaming into the Mess Hall. They queued up and received the usual slop that passed for food at Camp Green Lake before sitting down at the D-Tent table.

Halfway through the meal, ominous creaks were heard as someone climbed the steps into the mess Hall. Stanley looked up to see a dark figure silhouetted against the star studded sky.

As the figure stepped forward, his features were thrown into sharp relief. Classic Native American Indian features; a long nose and high cheekbones and a long nose, and a pair of the deepest black eyes made for a handsome looking boy. However, there was a gross disfigurement. A long scar ran around the right eye, across the temple down the cheekbone before flicking back toward the right ear. Maybe a centimetre wide, it was horribly obvious; pale pink against warm milk chocolaty brown.

As the boy stepped forward, again Stanley heard the clinking sound again and soon found its origin. Around the ankles of the boy in the doorway were the chains that Mr Sir had had the night before. The ankle chains were linked to the handcuffs with a long length of chain. Like, Stanley realised, a dangerous criminal.

The boy grabbed a tray and stood in line to receive his food. Stanley looked back at his tray and felt something kick his leg. It was X-Ray. "Do not look at his face; do not look at it, do not comment on it, don't say anything about it ever! Understand?" X-Ray hissed at him. Stanley understood alright. If Blood-Scar, for the newcomer couldn't be anyone else, was as volatile and temperamental as the other boys said then he wouldn't hesitate to hurt lil' ole Stanley. Stanley kept his head down and shovelled in a forkful of casserole. He wished he hadn't.

The sound of metal scraping across wood made Stanley prick his ears up. He looked out of the corner of his eye and saw, as his heart sank; a pair of orange clad legs with chains at the ankles come into view.

"Mind if I sit here?" A smooth, deep voice came from somewhere above his head.

He nodded and said, "y-yes, you can sit here," his voice shaking.

His mouth was dry and his hands shook slightly. He was sitting opposite a person who had made a boy so frightened about a fight, step on a rattlesnake to avoid him. He was rumoured to be cold cruel and the son of a mafia King. Somehow none of this was reassuring Stanley in the slightest.

Slowly the conversations began to build up again as people began to talk. D-Tent however, remained resolutely silent as they ate.

Soon Stanley felt safe enough to lift his head from his tray and he did so. He looked straight into the eyes of Blood-Scar Violence, deep into the coal black eyes.

"You are?" Blood-Scar enquired.

"Stanley, Stanley Yelnats." His mouth automatic as he answered.

"And they call you...?" Blood-Scar asked. He seemed genuinely interested.

"Caveman" Stanley muttered, wishing he had a better name.

"Better than Barf-Bag I suppose" Blood-Scar said his tone a touch mocking.

Stanley smiled tensly. He couldn't argue with him there.

"How long have you been here?" Blood-Scar asked him.

"Six weeks," Stanley said, "I have eighteen months in total to serve."

"Sixteen and half to go then" Blood-Scar said, picking up his cutlery.

Stanley murmured his agreement as he dug into his now cold meal.

The dinner wore on and gradulaay conversation started up around the table of D-Tent. Zero and Blood-Scar ,however, were silent.

Right at the end of the meal, Blood-Scar picked up his bread and placed on the edge of Zero's tray. "Eat" he ordered. Zero wasted no time in following the direction. Magnet nudged Stanley and winked. So it was true then.

The Mess hall emptied slowly and soon there was only D-tent and a few others left in the Mess Hall. Blood-Scar and Zero left suddenly after dumping their trays in the racks by the door. Stanley got up to follow them but X-Ray pulled him back down.

"What?" Stanley snapped. He was tired and wanted to go to his cot and sleep.

"You don't want to follow them just yet," X-Ray said.

"Why?"

"Because they haven't each other since about three days before you came and they have a lot to catch up on, if you catch my drift."

Stanley didn't understand until he saw ZigZag making the sex sign again. Then he caught X-Ray's drift. How could he have forgotten that?

Half an hour later the six boys made their way back to the tent after a few game of pool in the wreak room. "Yo, you in there?" X-Ray shouted when they were still fifteen feet away.

"Yes and decent" Blood-Scar's drifted out to them.

Stanley entered last, ducking his head under the tent flaps. Blood-Scar and Zero were on Zero's bed, the former with a book in his hands. By the looks of it a very well read and well-loved book, judging by the dog-eared corners and well-thumbed edges.

Zero's cot had been turned ninety degrees and another placed in beside it a few inches away from Zero's. A crate was on the other side of the second bed. Stanley flopped on his cot and looked around at the rest of D-Tent. X-Ray, Armpit and Magnet were all sprawled across their own cots but ZigZag and Squid were sharing ZigZags'. Stanley dug out his note pad and began to write a note to his mother, one full of lies and untruths.

He wrote until it became to dark to see and then stripped off his orange jumpsuit and pulled his sheets over himself. Tomorrow looked to be very different, he though just as he dropped of to sleep.

* * *

Please review, it only takes a minute and I love reviews!

.J.

**A message for anyone who reads this story; would anyone out there become a beta for me? I'm more interested in someone who can give me character development and plot line help if possible. Anyway it's just a thought.**


	3. Musing, Converastion, Tortilla and Holes

Now for the disclaimers:

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Holes or the movie. Sadly that honour is for the wonderful Sacher and Disney. Please reading the warning below and take note of it.

This is a **slash story** and it will have references to **ZeroOMC** and possible **ZigzagSquid**. I am giving you this warning now because I refuse to be flamed. If you do not like **slash** then do not read this story, it's as simple as that.

If you do not like **original characters** then you may not like this story. If you do not like **OOCness** then I suggest you do not read this story.

The characters are based on the movie ones with **small** changes.

Once again, off we go...

* * *

Of Musings, Converastion, Tortillas, and Holes

Stanley awoke before the morning announcements and general ruckus. He laid back, hands folded behind his head and contemplated the previous day. Blood-Scar Violence had been surprisingly interested, lively and un-violent. Although, Stanley mused, it _was_ early days yet.

Stanley recalled the 'bread' incident and Zero. The rumours had been proven true in that respect and they had apparently been doing something together in the tent after dinner to make themselves indecent. Stanley diverted his train of thought quickly; he did _not _what to think about _that_ if he could help it.

The morning announcements spared him further musings and he prised himself off his cot, hearing both bones and tendons click and groan. Blood-Scar was the first up, already dressed and ready for the day He was sitting on his bunk reading the same book from last night. He placed a bookmark carefully where he was reading and closed it, tenderly placing it in the crate.

Zero was rising from his bunk, messy hair obscuring much of his face. He yawned, falling back on his pillows. Squid and Zigzag were likewise prising themselves off their cots while Armpit and X-Ray were firmly clinging to the last remnants of sleep. ZigZag and Squid soon put paid to that idea and shook them until they unwilling rose.

Blood-Scar had coaxed Zero from his bed and was helping him to fight his way into his jumpsuit. Stanley noticed that Zero wore a long-sleeve black t-shirt underneath the jumpsuit; not an inch of skin showed between neck, waist and wrists.

X-Ray saw him looking and when Blood-Scar and Zero were otherwise occupied, he drew his finger across his throat. Even a simpleton could understand that message and Stanley was no simpleton; look at Zero like that again and _die_!

Stanley took his leave and joined the queue outside to wash his toothbrush and fill his canteen. He heard the two boys in front of him mention 'Blood-Scar Violence' and decided to listen in.

"I can't believe Blood-Scar's back!" The blond shivered as he said the name.

"Neither can I. I wonder why he had those chains on?" His companion, a brunette replied.

"I bet he went and murdered someone!"

"Maybe! It wouldn't surprise me after he nearly killed Barf-Bag."

"Yeah, Barf-Bag was so scared he stepped on a freaking rattlesnake. I mean, I think I would've too, if I'd had to fight Blood-Scar!" The blonde mimed chronic fear.

"The guy knows karate and jujit-su and judo and everything!" Stanley felt a shiver of fear run up his spine as the brunette informed the other of the fighting techniques.

"Zero, though man, d'you remember what he did to Stench after he insulted Blood-Scar?" Stanley listened closer as the blonde dropped his voice.

"That little guy just went plain-crazy! Didn't he like break the nose and give him like a million bruises." The brunette squinted, trying to remember.

"And two ribs and three fingers. He's as mad as Hell and Blood-Scar just picks him up and walks away out into the desert. They were out there for hours!"

"I sure as hell don't want to know what they were doing!" The blonde laughed and moved away, the brunette following him.

Stanley wetted his toothbrush and brushed his teeth. It semed that the conversation had revealed several things about both Blood-Scar and Zero. Much of the beginning of the conversation had simply confirmed what the D-Tenters had told him. Though, Stanley thought as he spat out the toothpaste, he hadn't know Zero was so violent. Breaking a guys nose, two ribs and three fingers didn't exactly fit in with the Zero Stanley knew.

What puzzled him though was that the pair didn't try to hide their relationship. Most people would have been ashamed of the relationship and denied it at the first opportunity. Either Stanley was missing something or everyone was remarkably accepting of the relationship. Or, he reasoned, everyone could just be afraid of what Blood-Scar would do to them if they called him on it. He filled his canteen and moved away from the line. He noticed that both Blood-Scar and Zero had full canteens though he was sure he would have noticed them in the line if they were ahead of him.

He grabbed a honey tortilla and bit into it. It tasted horrible and was quite frankly vomit-worthy but Stanley knew if he didn't eat it now, he would suffer in the heat of the day as lunch was many hours away. Blood-Scar evidently had the same thoughts judging by the disgusted look on his face as he ate bite after bite. Zero was smirking at the faces Blood-Scar was pulling, his messy hair covering half his face. "Nice to see you find my plight funny," Blood-Scar drawled. Stanley noticed Blood-Scar was still wearing the chains though the length of chain linking the ankle chain and the wrist chain was longer. The distance between his hands seemed further than what Stanley remember from yesterday.

The D-Tenters walked out to their site together, yawning and grumbling as they went. The only people lookin reasonably awake were Stanley ,himself, and Blood-Scar who looked postively perky.

Zero and Blood-Scar were having a conversation away from the other boys, though when Stanley attempted to listen in, he couldn't understand a word of it. Evidently a violent past and a relationship weren't the only trait the pair shared.

Mr Sir was waiting in his trunk for the boys. "Y'all be digging here" He said rolling up his window and driving away in a cloud of dust. Stanley watched him go, thinking enviously of the air-conditioned interior.

"Well," Blood-Scar dug his shovel in, "Dig it!"

Stanley shoved his shovel into the dirt and marked out a five by five foot hole. He dug his shovel in and tossed out the first of hundreds of shovelfuls. He looked down and sighed. He still had a long way to go...

* * *

Thank you to the following people: 

**xxacidxx **and **lexicuti4eva **and** Tortoise **and** Kaj: thanks so much for reviewing. I know I haven't been updating for ages but thank you so much for reading. I hope this chapter is good enough for you.**


	4. Holes, Warnings and Introspection

Standard warnings apply….

* * *

**Expect the Unexpected**

**Chapter Four**

--

Stanley could feel his brain practically dribbling out of his ears. It was not a pleasant sensation. The sheer monotony of the digging had sent him into a stupor and he was now just vaguely remembering to lift his shovel. It was hot and boring and just plain horrible to be digging out in this heat, he decided. Just plain cruel as well.

Suddenly, in the distance, he saw the truck. Finally. Their food was coming! Six months ago, Stanley would not have thought that dry bread, warm butter and lukewarm water would ever be an attractive prospect. Now, his mouth was watering at the thought of the taste and not so much as the smell. When Mr. Sir finally pulled up, he all but threw the brown paper bags at them, snatched their canteens from their hands and snarled at them as he pulled away, leaving the D-Tenters coughing and choking from the resulting dust cloud. Stanley's only thought to that was that Mr. Sir seemed to be in a worse mood than usual. That showed how far he had come.

He took his paper bag to his hole to eat because it was marginally cooler inside there, and any escape from the sun was a welcome relief to all the boys. He tucked into his sandwich and tried not to wince at the taste. Mayonnaise which had been left out too long, was in fact a vile smell. A shadow fell across his hole. A cloud perhaps? He opened one eye half way to see whether there was any more coming his way. The shadow turned out not to be from the cloud. It was Blood-Scar Violence standing over him, looking very very mean.

"So…" Blood-Scar crouched beside his hole, "Ain't you going to stand up?"

Stanley, had learnt his lesson from ignoring 'suggestions' like that from older, more hardened Green Lakers. When they spoke like Blood-Scar they meant business. Business Stanley usually wanted no part in.

"A little bird tells me you've been teaching him something. What?" The boy's voice sounded like ice.

"Err…To…read?" Stanley felt very afraid.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"And what are you getting in return for these little lessons?" Blood-Scar shifted and suddenly Stanley could see exactly why Barf-Bag had stepped on a rattle snake to avoid this boy. He was dangerous.

"Um…" Stanley could feel this conversation going down the drain before his very eyes. It was not a good feeling. "He's been digging part of my hole." Well, if he was going to 'fess up, he was going to go the whole hog and do it all.

"I see. Is that what they teach you, where you come from? Little black boy do the white man's work?"

"What? No!" Stanley back-pedalled as fast as he could. "No way!"

"Good."

"I would never – You what?"

"I said…Good." Stanley felt like such a fool and he really really didn't know why. "You see…I've found that around here, people aren't so nice. People tend to make others suffer. It just happens that typically my friend over there is one of those who tends to suffer."

"Oh?" Well, what else could he say?

"Yes. So, I had a little thought and if you had been one of those ones who made him suffer…"

"I think I can imagine."

"I take it some people," Blood-Scar pointed over his shoulder, "have clued you in. Good. Don't cross me."

"I don't think I will."

"You'd be wiser than some I've known." Blood-Scar seemed very old at that moment.

"So…What'd you'd do?" Stanley waved at the chains.

"And not as wise as others it seems." Blood-Scar held a hand out to Stanley. "You call him Zero here don't you? He's been telling me that you've been real nice to him. So, I figure since you've been nice to him, I'll be nice to you. However…I would appreciate it if you continued the "reading lessons"."

"No problem." Stanley felt, if he could get away without getting his face pounded in, he would agree to doing anything.

"You don't like you've got that much left to go, you know." Blood-Scar stared at the hole, before dropping his shovel down into it. To Stanley's amazement, the spade came to exactly the edge of the hole. Perfectly.

"Would you look at that?" Blood-Scar held out a hand to Stanley. He stared at the smooth mocha-coloured hand, all calloused and not a drop of blood in sight. When every boy started, their hands were torn and tattered by the end of the first hour. Blood-Scar's hand was uncut unblemished and even untouched. You wouldn't have guessed he'd done nearly five hours of digging. What the hell? Stanley reached up, and took it.

Finding himself hauled bodily over the lip of the hole and onto baking hot ground, Stanley could only marvel at the sheer strength it must have taken top lift him five feet blind. Stanley was no lightweight, thought the weeks of hard labour had stripped him of much of his puppy-fat and put hard muscles in places where there had never been any before.

Looking around for Zero, he saw no sign of the other boy. Blood-Scar had wandered over to the side of another hole, slightly apart from all the other D-Tenters. Reaching a hand inside, he pulled out Zero, who looked very rumpled and sleepy. Like Stanley, Zero was in the habit of sleeping during some of the hottest hours of the day. It was pure torture to continue on digging when the sun was at its peak and most of the other campers followed the same idea.

X-Ray, Armpit, Zigzag and Squid were all still digging, all still only up to their knees in holes. For the first time, Stanley had beaten the four of them to dig their hole and it had been without help. It was a good feeling. Not to be one of the last two out on the lake bed, digging as the sun went down and the air became cold. It was a really good feeling.

Stanley followed Blood-Scar and Zero back to camp. He wasn't quite good enough to walk beside them yet, but for now, two paces behind didn't seem such a bad prospect…

* * *

Reveiw please. And oh yeah. Sorry for the long wait...


End file.
